European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 28, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Steve take him or leave him by Kathryn Cave new York times Steve Earle pulls no punches in Lile take him or leave him. He say some of his in pics describe him As a Cross Elween Alla the Hun and i l Abner. However More important among capitalist anyway Ine music buying Public a lading him in Bunches Tho rousing Success of Earlc s Copperhead Road album has positioned him As an up and coming Rock n Roll Star critical magazines such As musician sing his praises comparing Iho music to the rolling stones let ii bleed. Country music zealots mourn Isoif loss. Earlo was country before he Bacomo Rocker Cool they re Ati labels to the 32-year-old Earle who started of As a Folk a mgr. Whal is important is the music not Iho venue. I Don mind categories As Long As they Don t insist i Only tit into one of them Earlo said from his Nashville tonn. Home. I think what i m doing is every bit As valid As country music Asil is with Rock and vice versa i never have understood Why country and Rock have to to mutually. Exclusive terms in fact his first two albums. Iho 1986 g far Toiven. And the 1987 exit own Success in the country Market and some i Lical acclaim among Rock critics. The son of a Texas air Ira tic controller. Earlo loft Homo at f6 and started playing Oik songs in Collo houses because i was t old enough to get in the places that served thai s Why i Don t iry to pass myself Oft As working class says Earle who also draws comparisons to the working class John Cougar Molly scamp. I be Lod a Moie or less Bohemian lifestyle All my lilo. 1 come irom a Middle class background basically and like a lot of people irom a Middle class background that want to ,.,. I have had to create some tension in my to or i would t Havo anything to write about. To gets out of Tia of sometimes. I Don i think i Over meant to hurl anybody but i can t say that i never did either. I Dohn Lely Liburt myself. 8ul you come out of it. With something to show for it in you write.". Tho fruits of Earle s turmoil Are songs like Copperhead Road which details the generations from Moonshiner to marijuana grower and Snake Oil. Which compares resident Tea Jan with a Snake Art Saf Asmari he also crosses beyond Iho arbitrary country Rock boundaries by adding the celtic sounds of the rogues in Johnny come lately the most intriguing song however is the one that hails Bach to Earlo s Toots nothing Bur a child originally written for the Ink Ridge boys is Earlo s ode to Christmas and children. Royalties irom the song go directly to the fearless heart fund Tor homeless children a Chanty Earth originated with a Friend. That s my particular Little area when it comes to trying to Pul Bach the things Hal i be taken out. I be got kids i m real Terri Trad of Iho Prospect of creating a hard Core underclass by dropping the Ball Loi one More generation says carib. Father of iwo sons and a stepdaughter. ". The. Only people i think who Aro really worthless in this world Tho Only people beyond Hope Are the. People who won Lake care of their children but his Tull Al is not just Lor the children of others earless still bitter after the custody fight Tor his youngest son. Not yet 2. He has joint custody of both his sons. When his older son 7 year old Justin turns 13, Earie says hell Stop Louring. Touring caused him to miss his youngest son s first Slop and first words. With Justin Earle was a House husband cooking meals and cleaning the House. He s paying a Alp a month in Alimony and child support.1 Steve Earie has switched gears Midway through his career from country Singer to Rock n Rotter. The hottest spot in Nashville by Shera Gross associated t s a tiny nightclub sandwiched Between an office and recording studio and a children s clothing store in the Chic Gien Hills Section of Tho " country music capital the Bluebird cafe in Nashville Tenn. May to a few Miles from Iho Well worn paths tread by tourists but it s a gathering place Lor recording Industry executives and those trying to got their attention. It s Tho Placo where country music stars of tomorrow yearn to perform waiting up to tour months Lor a precious spol Ontha tin Slago. -.-. It s country music s answer to Tho comedy store the fmprovano1 Caln a rising Star. It s country music s proving ground. Kathy Matlea got her break there. So did the sweethearts of the Rodeo Steve Earle t. Graham Brown and Foster and Lloyd. I started playing thereabout every three or Lour weeks and within three months of starting there i got a record Deal said Mallea Whoso 18 wheels arid a. Dozen roses was voted single of the year by the country music association. When featured performers Aro presented Friday and saturday nights it s standing those without reservations and a Light til Tor those who do have them. The intimate atmosphere is integral to the music. Owner Amy Kurland said Shehas no plans to Riovo although the 6year old club seals Only 130 or Iso Sardino style. -. It feels like a living room. Sometimes it s More. Intimidating because you can see every face in he room Tala Tea said. Songwriter Fred Knob och agrees but adds the. Clos Cross of the audience is a barometer . New.1 songwriters Are being received. The audiences Are so close that they Teel real " involved in what you re doing. Ii you re Good they love. You if you re bad they Are polite and gel up and abpul.90 percent of the crowd is involved in the. Music business and the remainder Are tourists and. Locals or " on people As Kurland Calls them. ,. I desire that people be specs locally interested in the., music that listening to live music is Enos Givand maybe having a Glass of wine nol picking somebody Kurland said. The Quality of the performers is always excellent maybe Book one or iwo people i m disappointed with in a year. " Knobloch is often joined by Lellow country acoustic. Songwriters Thorn Schuylor Craig Bickhardt and Don Schlitz to become subs one of the club s top draws Schlitz whole Tho Gamb lot Lor Kenny Rogers. Knobloch Crealand used to to Blue Lor Sawyer Brown and Bickhardt wrote the Sieve Wariner Nicole Ltd Larson duet that s How you know when love $ right. Knobloch got his Start of Iha Bluebird at a sunday writer s night a night set aside Lor song rivets to. Perform their new compositions Kurland is deluged with tapes irom Whoso who know Tirral playing a writer s night could mean a break. We make the music business accessible in the now Guy Kurland said. But in in was t Bluebird and places to play you could never really. " unction As a songwriter in Nashville appearing Here. Is a crucial part Riiho songwriters know this and the Walls of Kurland s Claustrophobic Ollic prove ii. Demonstration. Apes fill Racks on an online Wall arid others Are scattered on Hor desk whore a phone rings repeatedly and a Mammoth stuffed carnival prize Snake curls watching overhead. If the music satisfies Kuiland a discriminating ear Thero is a our month Wail below Teri an audition at the Bluebird until a writer can perform on a sunday night show. From the Lime to the time i would sign them As an act on a feature show it will be nine months to one year she said. David Wilcox a promising acoustic Folk artist did his Lime on the Bluebird circuit and Rutland has Tor the first Lime decided to promote Tho undiscovered James Taylor styled artist among world a. Despite the Lime in takes to get on stage Many songwriters hunger after a spot on the club s cat Ondar. Ii is a songwriter s Paradise said Maggie. Cay under in Yeutive director of the Nashville chapter of the songwriters association inthe Industry. Ii is Ona of the greatest clubs in town. In my estimation think the Bluebird is the ultimate in that. Sort of thing displaying song Wriler s abilities \ wednesday december 2is, 19s8 the stars and stripes Page 17
